Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong bolstered his National League MVP candidacy with a historic three-home-run game at Wrigley Field on Saturday.
The 24-year-old outfielder powered Chicago to a runaway victory over the Cincinnati Reds before a crowd of 39,597 fans.
While AP News reported a final score of 17-5, CBS Sports recorded the game as a 15-5 drubbing.
Crow-Armstrong drove in six runs and collected four hits, making him the first Cubs player since 1974 to achieve that feat.
Before the game, the star talked with former Cubs legend Sammy Sosa, who challenged him to hit three home runs.
“He was like, ‘I want three out of you today…. I need three,’” Crow-Armstrong said, according to AP News.
Praise came from manager Craig Counsell, who described the outfielder’s season as wonderful.
“I think Pete’s having a wonderful season,” Counsell said, per AP News.
Expressing his enjoyment, Counsell remarked on the excitement of watching him play.
“It’s a lot of fun to watch,” the manager added, per AP News.
The center fielder has hit .282 with 36 homers, 89 RBIs, and 32 steals in 136 games this season.
This historic display further widens his lead over Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, whose overall plate production has been limited by a nagging knee injury.